Spray bar with guide wheels and stabilizing poles

ABSTRACT

An elongated spray bar adapted to be suspended from a cable or the like along the side of a building and including a plurality of nozzles for spraying cleaning solution, a plurality of guide wheels for guiding vertical movement of the spray bar and stabilizing poles projecting from each end thereof.

United States Patent [191 Cook 1 Aug. 27, 1974 SPRAY BAR WITH GUIDEWHEELS AND STABILIZING POLES [75] Inventor: Henry D. Cook, Atlanta, Ga.

[73] Assignee: K & M Enterprises, Incorporated,

Atlanta, Ga.

22 Filed: May 18,1973

21 Appl. No.: 361,851

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 202,869, Nov. 29,1971, Pat. No.

[52] US. Cl 239/104, 239/159, 239/288.5, 239/566, 239/287, 134/95 [51]Int. Cl B05b 9/02, B05b l/28, BOSb 15/06 [58] Field of Search 134/95;239/159, 266, 268, 239/269, 288, 288.3, 288.5, 212, 375, 213,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,120,426 12/1914 Vearing239/159 X 2,311,670 2/1943 Lamont 134/172 X 2,581,678 1/1952 Malin et al239/287 X Foster et a1 239/287 [57]v ABSTRACT An elongated spray baradapted to be suspended from a cable or the like along the side of abuilding and including a plurality of nozzles for spraying cleaningsolution, a plurality of guide wheels for guiding vertical movement ofthe spray bar and stabilizingpoles projecting from each end thereof.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEBMzmu SPRAY BAR WITH GUIDE WHEELS ANDSTABILIZING PGLES This application is a division of my copendingapplication, Ser. No. 202,869, filed Nov. 29, 1971, for Assembly forWashing Building Windows now US. Pat. No. 3,750,686, issued Aug. 7,1973.

The present invention is generally related to spraying devices and, moreparticularly, to an improved spray bar cleaning assembly for use incleaning windows in multi-story buildings.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cable-supported spraybar capable of vertical movement for spraying a mixture of cleaningsolution and water onto windows.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spray bar ofrigid construction and provided with longitudinally spaced guide wheelsand projecting stabiliz' ing poles on the ends thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spray barwhich is rugged, transportable, and which may be easily operated toefficiently clean windows on almost all building structures, yet, whichis relatively simple in over-all construction, utilizes standardcommercial components, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture andmaintain.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the spray bar of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the spray bar as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along sections 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along section 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along section 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Referring now, more particularly, to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the spraybar 12 of the present invention is illustrated as it would be utilizedto clean the windows of a typical multi-story building structure (notshown). The elongated spray bar 12 is suspended from a flexible cable orrope 14 for raising and lowering the spray bar by a suitable mechanism(not shown). Water and cleaning solution is supplied to the spray bar ina manner to permit unhindered movement of the spray bar along its pathof travel.

A pair of elongated stabilizing poles 32 are mounted at opposite ends ofspray bar 12 and are made of relatively rigid, resilient material toeffectively cushion undesired movement of the spray bar due to thereaction forces imparted to the spray bar during operation or due tohigh winds or similar undesirable conditions.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, the construction of the spray bar of the presentinvention may be more fully appreciated. A support harness 42 isprovided for connecting the spray bar to the cable 14 by way of ashackle 44 or similar fastening means. Preferably, the support cablealigns with the center of gravity of the spray bar in order to maintainit in a substantially horizontal orientation during its operation. Anelongated rigid support frame 46 is fastened to harness support member42 by welding at 48, or similar fastening means. An elongated, hollowtubular member 50 is carried by the support frame and is provided with aplurality of longitudinally spaced spray nozzles 52 having outlet holescommunicating with the hollow interior of the tubular member. Thetubular member 50 is further provided with an end cap or plug 54 at eachend and a centrally located inlet 56 to receive a supply of water andcleaning solution to be dispensed through nozzles 52.

A plurality of longitudinally spaced guide wheels 58 are mounted to thesupport frame 46 and are adapted to engage the side surfaces of thebuilding structure being cleaned in order to prevent damage to the spraynozzles during operation of the assembly. The position of each guidewheel 58 may be adjusted by an adjustment screw 60 associated with thesupport frame. The spray bar 112 may be further provided with bumperguards 62 spaced along the length of the spray bar at various points tofurther prevent damage due to contact with the building surfaces orobjects protruding therefrom. Of course, the exact location or number ofguide wheels or pumper guards may be varied, as required, dependent uponthe particular application.

The stabilizing poles 32 on the spray bar are fastened to the oppositeend portions of support frame 46 by way of mounting sleeves 64 welded orotherwise fastened thereto. The effective length of each stabilizingpole 32 may be adjusted somewhat by way of screw fasteners 66 associatedwith each mounting sleeve. The spray bar may be further provided with apair of loops or eyelets 68 welded to opposite ends of the support frameand adapted to accommodate guy wires, or similar means, to aid incontrol of the spray bar when operated under high winds, or the like.The tubular member 50 may be fastened to support frame 46 by way ofmounting plates 70 welded to the support frame in a manner whichcompressibly deforms the tubular member as indicated at 72 in FIG. 5 tofirmly hold it in positron.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. As an article of manufacture, a spray bar including an elongatedhollow tubular member closed at its opposite ends, a plurality oflongitudinally spaced spray nozzles carried by said tubular member, andeach having a liquid outlet to direct a spray toward a surface andcommunicating with the hollow interior of said tubular member, inletmeans on said tubular member for supplying liquid material to said spraynozzles, plural guard means structurally associated with said tubularmember and sufficiently numerous and close to said spray nozzles toprotect them from damage, a plurality of guide wheels, at least two ofsaid guide wheels being immediately adjacent said closed ends of saidtubular member to prevent contact of the tubular member with a surfaceduring the spraying thereof, means for attaching stabilizing means toeach end of the tubular member and each of said stabilizing meansextending in the same plane as said tubular member and each of which lelto, the hollow part of said tubular member, screw fasteners inserted inthreaded apertures in said sleeve means to bear against those portionsof the stabilizing means within said sleeve means to releasably retainsaid stabilizing means in their desired longitudinal positions, andeyelets secured adjacent to the remote ends of said tubular member foraccommodating guy wires.

l k l =l= l

1. As an article of manufacture, a spray bar including an elongatedhollow tubular member closed at its opposite ends, a plurality oflongitudinally spaced spray nozzles carried by said tubular member, andeach having a liquid outlet to direct a spray toward a surface andcommunicating with the hollow interior of said tubular member, inletmeans on said tubular member for supplying liquid material to said spraynozzles, plural guard means structurally associated with said tubularmember and sufficiently numerous and close to said spray nozzles toprotect them from damage, a plurality of guide wheels, at least two ofsaid guide wheels being immediately adjacent said closed ends of saidtubular member to prevent contact of the tubular member with a surfaceduring the spraying thereof, means for attaching stabilizing means toeach end of the tubular member and eAch of said stabilizing meansextending in the same plane as said tubular member and each of which isfurther extendable to approximately double the effective length of thespray bar, when the attached stabilizing means are extended to theirmaximum extent, and threaded means for releasably holding thestabilizing means in their various conditions of innermost and outermostextent.
 2. The spray bar of claim 1 wherein said attaching meansincludes sleeve means rigidly secured to, and with the hollow parts ofsaid sleeve means being parallel to, the hollow part of said tubularmember, screw fasteners inserted in threaded apertures in said sleevemeans to bear against those portions of the stabilizing means withinsaid sleeve means to releasably retain said stabilizing means in theirdesired longitudinal positions, and eyelets secured adjacent to theremote ends of said tubular member for accommodating guy wires.